Loudoun County Advances D.C. United USL Pitch

Earlier this week, Loudoun County Supervisors advanced a proposal that calls for a new D.C. United USL stadium and practice facility in the county.

United is pursuing a project in Loudoun County, where Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park would become the site of a complex that includes a stadium for the USL club. Along with four fields (two reserved for the team, two open to public use), the complex would include offices, a training facility and an approximately 5,000-seat stadium.

Loudoun County would lease the land to D.C. United, and provide $15 million in financing, which would be paid back by United. Additional discussion will have to take place, but on Wednesday supervisors voted to move forward with those terms. More from LoudounNow.com:

“This will be the county’s facility, that someone else is paying for, that the county can then get revenue from forever,” said Supervisor Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles). “There’s not too many opportunities that come along like this.”

The deal would move D.C. United offices and training facilities here and establish a men’s professional second division team in Loudoun. According to the county, approximately 50 employees would work at the United complex, which is where the team would construct a training facility for its first team players, second division players, youth development program, and offices to house business operations. The D.C. United second division team will play in a new stadium located on the west side of Bolen Park and is expected to play a 30-game schedule with 15 home dates.

The county would provide land and up to $15 million in financing for the stadium and offices, which the company will pay back through its lease.

“So they are building us a stadium, and then paying us for that stadium,” said Supervisor Ron A. Meyer Jr. (R-Broad Run).

The next step in the process is expected to take place on January 18, when supervisors could vote on whether or not to permit county staff to negotiate a lease for the land. At this point, United and Loudoun County are targeting a 2019 launch for the new USL club. This is latest attempt in Loudoun County to land a professional soccer club, as a previous proposal to build a new ballpark for an NASL team (Virginia Calvary) and a professional baseball team (the Loudoun Hounds) failed because of financial challenges.